Distance Closed
by raingds
Summary: CloTi, WAFF. Cloud finally does what he should have done long ago. Short, drabble.


Sometimes, Cloud wished he was smart enough to take off forever. Smart enough to launch himself off of a cliff somewhere. But even there, in death, he could not escape his past. Instead, he wandered down abandoned fields, along train tracks that lead nowhere. Just like himself.

The problem--and the solution--was Tifa. She was his way out of this maze of pain and death, the only one to offer him anything remotely close to true love. Whenever there was a moment of joy in his life, a glimpse of what could have been, he thought of her and her smile and her eyes. It was enough to make his thoughts incoherent for the rest of the day.

But after all of these years he had left his own feelings to rot among the many other things that followed him around like a pack of hungry dogs. Waiting for him to just fall over so they could feast on what was left.

//There's not going to be anything left of me if I don't do something.//

This thought rang over and over in his head, in time with his own heartbeat. At night, he thought of her. It was all he ever did now. Cloud imagined he could taste her skin, feel her body against his while they smiled and laughed and kissed and god it was too good to be true. She was imperfect in the most perfect way, could do nothing to truly hurt him. Couldn't do enough to make him even think to hate her. Tifa was lovely. Tifa was what he needed in this world of loneliness and pain and memories.

He wanted to be with her, but he didn't know how to begin. Golden chances had long since gone, Cloud felt like he was trying to piece together a crumbled statue. But even that thought didn't stop him from wanting to try, willing to get his hands dirty for someone as important as Tifa.

"Cloud? What are you doing down here in the dark?" he froze, afraid now because he might actually have to tell her why he had snuck down here. The bar was empty and cold as was the night air drifting in through the single open window.

Cloud stood up from the bar stool, felt awkward in his pajama pants and cotton shirt. Tifa stood in the stairway, looking beautiful in an old pair of boxers and a sweater. Her eyes, the color of dried roses in the moonlight, didn't leave his face and he felt for sure that he looked vulnerable.

//I want...I...her. I want her so bad.//

God it seemed stupid that he had thought that for so long, yet had never mustered up the guts to say so out loud. Sure, he could take on Sephiroth and Jenova...but Tifa was an altogether more intimidating person because he was afraid of what would happen if she knew. Physical pain he could take, but his heart was a completely different matter, a thing so fragile that he kept it hidden beneath a mask of calm and carelessness.

"Tifa...I..."

//Just say it, you idiot. Tell her you love her!//

And the symphony began, slow at first, making music that was quiet and shrill enough to make one's heart beat a little faster in anticipation. Tifa moved out of the stairway and over to him, gazing at him with those beautiful eyes that made his thoughts seep away like water in cupped hands. "Are you alright? Is there something you want to talk about?" Tifa made a motion to reach out and grab his hand, the symphony grew louder in his ears, reaching the climax and now it was up to him whether he was going to miss his chance again.

Before he knew it, he had reached out, hand cupped behind her head, and pulled their lips together in a warm kiss and god he hoped he was doing this right because it had been forever since he'd last kissed someone. Some girl in Midgar...couldn't even remember her name.

//Hello?! You're kissing Tifa here, pay a little more attention.//

He pulled away quickly, fumbling for words to explain what the hell he had just done. Tifa was smiling a little, biting her lip and looking up at him. "You have...no idea how long I've wanted you to do that." Cloud blushed at this, thankful for the darkness and pulled her into another inevitable kiss. He felt like he was floating, felt foolish for thinking something like that, yet hoped she was feeling the same. Her scent was intoxicating, though the word was generic, it was true. Cloud couldn't get enough of it, couldn't get enough of her.

//A long time ago...I should have done this a long time ago.//

When their lips finally parted because both were running out of oxygen and breathing was not optional, Tifa took his hand and led him up the stairs toward his bedroom. They were sneaking around like two kids past curfew and he felt his heart tighten with sheer excitement.

But Tifa stopped at the doorway and giggled quietly once she glanced inside. Confused, Cloud peeked around the corner and chuckled. Denzel slept peacefully in Cloud's bed. "I forgot..." he whispered. Tifa wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.

"Well..Marlene's in my bed..." she laughed quietly and Cloud could feel her breath against his neck.

Denzel woke up when Cloud picked him out of the nice, warm bed. "What're you doing..." his tired words slurred together, and he didn't even bother to open his eyes all of the way.

"I'm moving you to Tifa's bed for the night, Marlene's there already."

"'kay..." he sighed, curling up against Cloud and yawning. "But where will Tifa sleep?" he asked half-heartedly, not caring if he got an answer or not.

"Don't worry about it." The symphony ended quietly, a single note melting into the night.


End file.
